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b4eba41c-3299-4935-88f1-36d55163f934 MODIFY: The development and iMplementation Of a multidisciplinary medication review and Deprescribing Intervention among Frail older people in primarY care COMPLETED: MODIFY: The development and iMplementation Of a multidisciplinary medication review and Deprescribing Intervention among Frail older people in primarY care Principal Investigator: Dr Kinda Ibrahim Project team : Eloise Radcliffe, Dr Simon Fraser , Clare Howard , Professor Paul Rutter , Professor Susan Latter , Claire Sheikh , Dr Lawrence Brad , Dr Mark Lown , Dr Alejandra Recio-Saucedo , Dr Kat Bradbury , Dr David Culliford , Dr Maria Chorozoglou , Cynthia Russell (PPI lead). Further PPI involvement from:Pam Holloway, Neil Wilson, Rajneesh Kaur Additional support from Renee Servin and Lucy Murphy (Medical students) Partners: University of Portsmouth, Westbourne Medical Centre, Wessex Health Innovation Network, PresQiPP, NIHR CRN Wessex Summary of findings - download plain text summary 1 in 3 people aged 65 and older take 5 or more medicines every day (polypharmacy). Some of these drugs may no longer be appropriate. They could increase the risk of falls, hospital admission, or even death, especially among people who are frail (and less able to recover from injury and illness). Deprescribing (reducing, stopping or switching drugs) is safe for some conditions, medications and in settings such as primary care. But Health Care Professionals (HCPs) may face problems with carrying this out. Problems may include a lack of time for HCPs, and HCPs and patients may be concerned about stopping medication which was first prescribed by a specialist. Previous research highlights that this problem could be addressed by teams of HCPs from different disciplines, including practice pharmacists, working together on the medication review and deprescribing process. The research team reviewed 28 studies on older people in primary care to explore what makes medication review and deprescribing work best in a team of HCPs. Alongside this, the research team carried out in-depth interviews with ten older patients and three of their family carers, and focus groups with 26 health care professionals working in eight different GP practices. This helped the team to understand different experiences of medication reviews and deprescribing, and how this process can work best. Based on the results the team suggested ways to improve deprescribing in primary care. They include: clear roles and responsibilities for HCPs, with good communication between team members, and pharmacists integrated within teams training and education on deprescribing for HCPs routine discussions about deprescribing when prescribing, with medication reviews tailored to patients’ needs and preferences, and addressing any questions or concerns involvement of patients and informal carers, and trusted relationships with professionals allowing continuity of care. Based on the results the research team developed an intervention to improve medication review and deprescribing for older people with frailty and taking 10 or more medicines, to target those who would benefit most. The intervention has five phases: 1) Identification on practice databases of older patients aged 75 and over living with frailty, prescribed 10 or more medications, to be invited for a medication review 2) Preparation for HCPs, through using deprescribing tip sheets and a digital tool to help prioritise medication for deprescribing (with training provided) 3) Written information leaflet sent to patients and carers about the purpose of medication review and the reasons for potentially stopping or changing medications 4) The HCP (mainly a practice pharmacist) will conduct a person-centred medication review taking into account patient and carer needs and preferences. They will involve other HCPs members based on their expertise, and document and share any agreed changes with patients and other staff members if needed; 5) Tailored written follow-up plans to be given to patients and carer, and further contact arranged if needed. See NIHR Alert - How to deprescribe in Primary Care which features this research Downloads: Public Policy Briefing https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/509844/ Medicines Optimisation and Deprescribing in Older People policy brief Feb 2026 .pdf Download PDF • 2.09MB MODIFY poster ICP MODIFY poster 20.10.25 .pptx Download PPTX • 2.32MB MODIFY POSTER Plain English ICP poster Plain English version 17.9.25 .odt Download ODT • 10KB How we shared these findings Conferences and dissemination to Health Care Professionals •European Clinical Pharmacy Society conference, October 2022, Prague, Czech Republic 2022 (oral and poster) •Faculty of Medicine Conference, University of Southampton, June 2023 (oral and poster) •Health Services Research and Pharmacy Practice conference, Cork, Ireland 2023 (oral and poster) •ARC Wessex collaborating for impact showcase event, June 2023 •Society for Academic Primary Care conference, Brighton, July 2023 •South West Society for Academic Primary Care conference, Cardiff Wales, March 2024 •International Conference on Deprescribing, Nantes, France September 2024 Other presentations and talks •Invited to present MODIFY at the Society for Academic other presentations Primary Care Medicines Optimisation Special Interest Group, 12th March 2024 •Invited to present on deprescribing at the CRN national event on Multimorbidity in May 2023. •Invited to present MODIFY at the CRN coordination Wessex Pharmacy Research Network meeting, 28th February 2024 •Presented MODIFY during a meeting with Prof. Tony Avery, the National Clinical Director for Prescribing, 1st March 2024 •Shared learning on MODIFY with Prof David Alldred and his team at Leeds, Jan 2022 •Introduced MODIFY at the Health Innovation Network Polypharmacy Community of Practice meeting, July 2022 Publications: Implementing a medication review and deprescribing intervention for older people living with frailty and polypharmacy in general practice: a feasibility study We published our findings from our realist review in BMC Geriatrics: What makes a multidisciplinary medication review and deprescribing intervention for older people work well in primary care? A realist review and synthesis Plos One publication (April 2025): Development of a complex multidisciplinary medication review and deprescribing intervention in primary care for older people living with frailty and polypharmacy Our publication was selected as an NIHR evidence alert, and promoted more widely on social media to health care professionals and policymakers: How to deprescribe inprimary care - NIHR Evidence Education of undergraduate an postgraduate students •Plenary talk on polypharmacy and deprescribing to year 1 medical students in May 2024 •Invited talk by University Hospital Southampton at a General Internal Medicine Training day 16th September 2024, MODIFY presented to over 100 trainees Public and patient engagement Presentation and discussion of MODIFY at a Community medical science engagement session with 12 older people (via Communicare, a local social service organisation on 4th September 2024) The project has prompted Bob Heath to write a song about deprescribing - which was played at the ARC Event 2025 https://vimeo.com/1125880005 Bob and Peter Heath wrote this song about deprescribing Lay Summary or research protocol Background: A third of older people take five or more regular medications (polypharmacy) potentially increasing the risk of side-effects, hospital admission and death. These effects are higher among people living with frailty who lose their in-built reserves and become vulnerable to changes triggered by small events such as a change in medication. National recommendations suggest that medications taken by frail older people should be reviewed annually by their GPs to identify and reduce/stop inappropriate medications (deprescribing).Yet this does not happen routinely due to GPs’ lack of time, increased workloads and worries about stopping medicines. Recent recommendations suggest involving other non-medical prescribers such as practice pharmacists and advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) in reviewing medications. However, it is unknown how staff could work together most effectively and whether they have any training needs. Aim: This research will investigate how practice-pharmacists, ANPs and GPs could best work together with patients living with frailty to perform regular medication review. Methods The study involves four work packages (WPs). We will review previous literature to identify what makes a successful medication review and how to safely reduce/ stop inappropriate medications (WP1). Interviews with GPs, practice-pharmacists, ANPs, frail older patients and carers will be conducted (WP2). These will discover views about where medication review should take place, the role of each of the involved parties in the process, type of medications that could be deprescribed, staff development and training needs, barriers and facilitators for implementation, and strategies to address these barriers. Information gathered from WP1&2 will be used to develop the intervention: a structured medication review process using pharmacists, ANPs and GPs most effectively and involving frail patients and their families in decisions about medications (WP3). The intervention will be refined further through a series of workshops with service users, clinicians and commissioners. A training programme to implement the intervention and increase staff confidence in reducing/ stopping medications safely will be developed and delivered to GPs, practice-pharmacists and ANPs based on the Polypharmacy Action Learning Sets approach adopted by the Wessex Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) . Finally, we will assess whether itis feasible and acceptable for staff in four GP practices to be trained and to implement the intervention with their patients (WP4). Public Patient Involvement: Three PPI members have been involved in protocol development and refinement and will continue to contribute to the research study by for example being involved in developing research instruments and monitoring recruitment. Dissemination and Impact: Working with colleagues in the Wessex AHSN and local clinical commissioners, we will be able to share our findings and training programme to the wider research and clinical community in Wessex and potentially influence practices and policies both locally and nationally. Ibrahim, K., Cox, N.J., Stevenson, J.M. et al. A systematic review of the evidence for deprescribing interventions among older people living with frailty. BMC Geriatr 21, 258 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02208-8 Pazan, F., Petrovic, M., Cherubini, A. et al. Current evidence on the impact of medication optimization or pharmacological interventions on frailty or aspects of frailty: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 77, 1–12 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-020-02951-8 Radcliffe E, Servin R, Cox N, Lim S, Tan QY, Howard C, Sheikh C, Rutter P, Latter S, Lown M, Brad L, Fraser SDS, Bradbury K, Roberts HC, Saucedo AR, Ibrahim K. What makes a multidisciplinary medication review and deprescribing intervention for older people work well in primary care? A realist review and synthesis. BMC Geriatr. 2023 Sep 25;23(1):591 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04256-8

d94081d4-7fee-46f1-acf1-61bd1a5364fc Understanding barriers and enablers of using the Living with Long Term Conditions scale as part of routine care for people from under-served groups living with type 2 diabetes Chief investigator: Dr Leire Ambrosio, Lecturer, School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton. Team: Professor Mari Carmen Portillo, School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton Dr Lindsey Cherry, School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton Dr Kinda lbrahim, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine. University of Southampton Dr Michelle Myall, Principle Researcher, School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton Ms Rashmi Kumar, PPI representative Partners: Ha mpshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southampton, Diabetes UK, SO:Linked (Southampton Voluntary Services). Started: 1 October 2024 End: 31 March 2026 Why is this research important? In the England over 15 million people are living with at least one long-term conditions (LTC). People from under-served groups, are at greater risk of having one or more than one LTCs. This not only affects a person’s physical health, but other aspects of their lives, such as emotional, cultural, and socio-economic wellbeing. It is key for healthcare professionals, to understand and assess how a person is living with an LTC to provide person-centred care. We recently developed the Living with Long Term Conditions (LwLTCs) scale for English-speaking populations. This is a person-centred questionnaire to evaluate how well a person lives with a long-term condition, to inform care for people based on their individual needs. What we found We found that adults with LTCS face a "daily burden" because their symptoms fluctuate unpredictably, often leading to social isolation and a feeling of being "left behind" by a fragmented healthcare system. While both Adults and Healthcare Professionals felt the LwLTC scale is a valuable "communication bridge" that can highlight hidden mental health and social struggles, some barriers remain. For the tool to work in real life, it must be flexible—offering paper and digital versions or help from a staff member—rather than being a "one-size-fits-all" tick-box exercise. Ultimately, the findings show that while the scale helps make invisible struggles visible, its success depends on building trust, ensuring cultural sensitivity, and making sure that the information gathered actually leads to obvious changes in a patient's care. What we did with the new Knowledge By discovering the deep emotional and physical challenges real people face, we are supporting patients with LTCs to have a voice in their own care. We used this new knowledge to help the healthcare system move toward truly individualised and flexible care by highlighting that the scale works best as a "communication bridge" to uncover invisible mental health and social struggles. Our findings will help NHS move away from generic digital pathways by advocating for a "digital-choice" framework that offers paper, Braille, or face-to-face assistance for those who need it. By collaborating across the SCALE project, we are discovering how to build trust with underserved communities and ensuring the care system respects the "real-life" expertise of the patient. Where next? Building on these findings, we view this not as a conclusion but as a vital first step toward transforming how the NHS handles LTC care. A major next step is addressing the "readiness gap" in current practice by developing formal guidelines for facilitated engagement, where staff are trained to help patients navigate the tool face-to-face to prevent digital exclusion. We plan to take these learnings further by advocating for the scale to be used over time to track a person's health journey, rather than relying on a single snapshot. While it remains a struggle to shift traditional clinical systems away from rigid pathways, these findings create a sense of urgency: if we do not adopt these flexible, person-centered tools, we risk leaving the most vulnerable patients with LTCs far behind.

Research Fellow < Back Francesca Zecchinato Research Fellow Workforce & Health Systems Francesca Zecchinato is a recently appointed Research Fellow within the NIHR ARC Wessex Mental Health Hub at the University of Southampton. In her current role, she is working on a mixed-methods project to identify knowledge gaps among paramedics in managing patients presenting mental health conditions. This work aims to enhance the quality of mental health care provided to patients, improve patient experiences, and offer better support for paramedics. Francesca holds a BSc in Cognitive Psychology and Psychobiology (cum laude) and a MSc in Clinical Psychology (cum laude) from the University of Padova (Italy). She has completed her PhD at the Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, funded by the ESRC South Coast DTP and focused on the risk posed by parental anxiety to their children and on strategies to promote the mental health of children with anxious parents. Building on her previous research exploring the needs of parents with mental illness and how services can support their children’s mental health, Francesca’s work continues to focus on understanding the needs of individuals experiencing mental health difficulties and identifying evidence-based strategies to improve care delivery. Francesca uses both quantitative and qualitative methods in her research and poses great value in the involvement of experts by experience (via Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement) throughout the research process. Previous Next

c1df1831-b7ba-4277-88cf-bcbed05e91b7 Pharmacological And Non-Pharmacological treatment of ADHD in Pre-schoolers: a systematic review and network meta-analysis: the PANPAP study Lead applicant: Professor Samuele Cortese Co-applicants: Andrea Cipriani, Corentin Gosling, Luis Farhat, Cinzia Del Giovane Background: Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have problems with attention and need to move more than most children. About 5% of school-aged children and 2% of pre-schoolers have ADHD, respectively. This translates into almost 10,000 pre-schoolers with ADHD in the South West England area. Interventions for ADHD include pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. When not treated, ADHD entails a significant burden to society, estimated at more than £20,000 per year. Therefore, it is important to detect and treat ADHD in the early years to prevent the negative consequences of ADHD later in life. Experts and ADHD support groups agree that the NHS does not meet the needs of pre-schoolers with ADHD. Currently, there are either long waiting lists or no services for pre-schoolers with ADHD in the NHS. To provide the best care for pre-schoolers with ADHD, we need to make sure that the NHS offers treatments that work well and are safe. In 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended mainly non-pharmacological interventions (behavioral interventions) for the treatment of pre-schoolers with ADHD. Back then, there was a paucity of studies on other non-pharamcological interventions and on medications for ADHD in pre-schoolers. Since 2018, there has been an increasing number of studies on other types of interventions (e.g., family-based interventions and diet) and on medications. There has also been an increasing trend in some countries (e.g., USA) to use medications for pre-schoolers with ADHD. Therefore, we need to understand which is the best intervention for pre-schoolers with ADHD. Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for ADHD in pre-schoolers. Methods: We will not do a new study, which would be very expensive. Rather, we will use a new type of research, called “network meta-analysis”. This approach uses data from available studies to compare different types of treatments even when they have not been compared directly in the individual available studies. Therefore, we will first systematically search for published and unpublished studies of any pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment for pre-schoolers with ADHD. We will then combine the information from these studies with a state-of-the-art statistical approach. We will finally assess the quality of the studies included in the analysis and the strength of the evidence that we will generate. We are well known experts in this type of research. The study will be conducted at the University of Southampton, in collaboration with international researchers, including a statistician with renowned expertise in this type of analysis. Impact: The findings of our research are expected to inform future regional, national and international guidelines on the treatment of ADHD in pre-schoolers. As such, our results will be disseminated to local commissioners and policy makers, NICE, and international guidelines groups such as the European ADHD Guidelines Group. We will also disseminate our findings to associations of families with children with ADHD in the Wessex area, at the national (for example, National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service, ADDISS), and international level (ADHD Europe).

62657f5f-1a8d-4fc4-8b32-bd364cb93d3a ADOPTED PROJECT - PREMAC 2 STUDY Development and application of Patient Report Experience Measure for patients accessing ACute oncology services: Aim This study will test a newly designed patient report experience measure (PREM) questionnaire for acute oncology (AO) across three NHS Trusts. Objectives The study will test: i) the acceptability of the PREM instrument to patients; ii) how well the PREM questionnaire performs, its validity and reliability, when completed by patients who have received care from different clinical teams; iii) the capability of the PREM instrument to identify variations of patient experience between participating trusts, and; iv) how easily the PREM questionnaire can be used to collect information across several trusts that might deliver services in different ways. Background People with cancer often need to access AO services for serious problems caused by their disease or treatment. Although trusts are required to obtain feedback from patients who receive AO services, there is currently accepted way of collecting this information. A preceding study, the PREMAC study, designed the new PREM questionnaire that we will test in this subsequent study. Design and Methods The study will include three NHS Trusts, and a sample of at least 100 completed responses will be required for statistical analysis from each site. Patients who have accessed AO services will be sent an electronic link to the questionnaire by text message or email, between one and two weeks following their care. Participants will be eligible if they: have a confirmed diagnosis of cancer; are 18 years old and above; have sought urgent care/advice for problems for cancer or its treatment; have accessed AO service via a triage helpline, a bespoke AO unit or via ED. Only anonymised information will be collected from respondents. Study outputs The main study output will be a validated PREM, which can be used to explore and benchmark the quality of AO services at trusts across England with different service delivery models.

c585330f-e35f-4618-bc81-287d81f85239 The PD Life Study: Exploring the treatment burden and capacity of people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers Principal Investigator: Professor Helen Roberts Research team: Dr Qian Yue Tan (Research Fellow, Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton), Professor Helen Roberts (Professor of Medicine for Older People, Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton), Dr Kinda Ibrahim (Senior Research Fellow, Academic Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton), Dr Simon Fraser (Associate Professor of Public Health. School of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital), Dr Khaled Amar (Consultant Geriatrician and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Bournemouth University, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) Start: October 2020 Ends: October 2022 Project Partners: University of Southampton, Bournemouth University, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation . Lay Summary People with Parkinson’s (PwP) have many symptoms including tremor, stiffness, slow movements, constipation, urinary incontinence and mental health issues. They are often older and have other long-term health conditions. PwP need to do many things to look after their health including manage multiple medications, attend healthcare appointments and lifestyle changes such as improving diet and exercise. The effort of looking after their health and its impact on them is termed ‘treatment burden’. Some PwP need help from their family or friends (caregiver) to complete these tasks. Caregivers may also experience treatment burden themselves when caring for someone with Parkinson’s. People’s ability to manage treatment burden is termed ‘capacity’ and is influenced by physical, mental, social and economic factors. People are overburdened when the workload of looking after their health exceeds their capacity. This can lead to poor adherence with treatment, poor quality of life and worse health outcomes. Aim We aim to understand the factors that influence treatment burden and capacity in PwP and their caregivers. Methods Interviews with 15 PwP and 15 caregivers will identify factors that influence treatment burden and capacity. These factors will be explored further in a national survey for PwP and caregivers with support from Parkinson’s UK. We will then form focus groups with PwP, caregivers, voluntary sector representatives, healthcare professionals, policymakers and managers through Parkinson’s Excellence Networks to discuss the findings and prioritise recommendations for change. This study will enable to us develop recommendations of ways to reduce treatment burden and improve future experiences of PwP and their caregivers. This research is also supported by a legacy in memory of Carolyn and Tore-Jan Myhre

Mapping pathways of response for adult & child victim-survivors of domestic abuse in Southampton City Have you been affected by domestic abuse? Do you live in Southampton? Hide this page in an emergency Jump to tips on safe web browsing A team of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton are doing an evaluation to learn more about how individuals and families are referred to Southampton City Council for support with a domestic abuse situation. We want to learn more about the experiences of those individuals and families, after they are referred for support. The goal is to help the Council improve the services they can offer, for people who are experiencing domestic abuse. You can take part in this evaluation by having an ‘interview’ – a discussion with a researcher. This would be completely confidential and would take about an hour. Would you like to share your experience? We would be very interested to hear from you. If you have any questions, or if you would like to take part in this evaluation, please contact: Katerina Porter at 02380 594 644 or k.a.porter@soton.ac.uk or Eunice Aroyewun at 02380 594 554 or e.o.aroyewun@soton.ac.uk . Please watch this video to learn more. SAFE BROWSING TIPS Domestic abuse is not just violence and often includes controlling behaviour. If you are scared your partner will find out you’ve been here, here’s how you cover your tracks. How do I turn on private browsing on Google Chrome (incognito window)? Start Chrome and click the three dot icon in the top right corner of the screen. Click New Incognito Window and start browsing. You can press Ctrl + Shift + N to bring up a new incognito window without entering the Chrome settings menu. Before opening the browser, you can right click the Chrome icon, then select New Incognito window How do I enable InPrivate browsing in Microsoft Edge? Open Microsoft Edge, and click on the three Dots at the top right corner of the browser Window. Now click on New InPrivate window. You can press Ctrl + Shift + P to bring up a new InPrivate window without entering the settings menu. Before opening the browser, you can right click the Edge icon, then select New InPrivate window How do I enable InPrivate browsing in Internet Explorer? Open Internet Explorer, and click on the Tools icon at the top right corner of the browser Window. Now click on Safety then InPrivate Browsing. You can press Ctrl + Shift + P to bring up a new InPrivate window without entering the settings menu. Before opening the browser, you can right click the Edge icon, then select New InPrivate window How do I turn on private browsing in Mozilla Firefox? Click or tap the Open menu button in the top right side of the browser window. It has the shape of three parallel lines. Then, choose New Private Window. You can press Ctrl + Shift + P to bring up a New Private Window without entering the settings menu. How do I turn on private browsing in Safari on an iPhone? Tap to open Safari, then tap the 2 overlaid squares in the bottom right corner, then tap Private to enable Private Browsing Mode and finally tap Done and start browsing. When finished be sure to tap the 2 overlaid squares again and then tap x on each page to clear the pages before finally tapping Private to go back to normal. How do I turn on private browsing on an Android phone? Tap to open Internet, then tap tabs in the bottom right corner, then tap Turn On Secret Mode and start browsing. When finished be sure to tap x on each page to clear the pages before finally tapping Turn Off Secret Mode to go back to normal. Information from STOP DOMESTIC ABUSE - https://stopdomesticabuse.uk/cover-your-tracks

< Back This is a Title 01 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. You can create as many collections as you need. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own, or import content from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, videos and more. You can also collect and store information from your site visitors using input elements like custom forms and fields. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Preview your site to check that all your elements are displaying content from the right collection fields. Previous Next

28e06f68-57c1-47e6-a549-0943eeae5264 OPTIM Park - Optimization of community resources and systems of support to enhance the process of living with Parkinson’s Disease: a multisectoral intervention COMPLETE: Optimization of community resources and systems of support to enhance the process of living with Parkinson’s Disease: a multisectoral intervention (Linked to PARTNERS) Chief Investigator: Professor Mari Carmen Portillo – University of Southampton Funder : The Optim Park, April 2019-December 2022, aimed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention that will enhance the process of living with PD for patients and family-carers by building multisectoral care pathways, with a special focus on how to optimize the use of resources and systems of support in the community in disadvantaged populations of different European countries. The Optim Park consortium was composed of 4 countries (Denmark, Norway, Spain and UK (coordinators)). running according to plans considering we are reporting a period of 9 months (the project starting in April 2019). The consortium has worked efficiently and important professional and personal links have been established across partners. A total of 6 WPs were completed: 1. Patient and public involvement 2. Evidence on systems of support and integrated care for people with PD 3. Roles and working relationships between agencies and levels of care 4. Feasibility trial 5. Dissemination and 6. Management. The research design of the Optim Park project included reviews of evidence and statutory documents, qualitative research (166 interviews with people with PD, carers, stakeholders and professionals), and quantitative research (feasibility trial of a designed intervention with 220 participants including people with PD and family carers). Our findings led to the design of an intervention that consisted of introducing the PD coordinator role and personalised assessment of needs, prioritisation of needs and referral to community resources with follow up. We have developed a very strong and sustainable PPI plan for this project, and we have liaised with key national and international voluntary organisations for PD and clinical sites, which were essential for the delivery and implementation plans of our work. Dissemination of the project took place through scientific and lay routes. Additional funding has been secured throughout the life of the Optim Park project for next research steps, the PD Coordinator role in the UK, exchange opportunities for PhD candidates and the development of young researchers and postdoctoral mobility. These are our published papers Portillo, M.C. , Anita Haahr, Navarta-Sánchez, M.V. (2021). Management, levels of support, quality of life, and social inclusion in Parkinson’s disease: interventions, innovation, and practice development, Parkinson's Disease, DOI: 10 1155/2021/4681251. Portillo, M. C., Haahr, A., & Navarta-Sánchez, M. V. (2021). Management, levels of support, quality of life, and social inclusion in Parkinson’s disease: interventions, innovation, and practice development . Parkinson´s Disease , https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/4681251 . Soilemezi, D. , Palmar-Santos, A., Navarta-Sánchez, M.V., Roberts, H., Pedraz-Marcos, A., Haahr, A., Sørensen, D., Bragstad, L., Hjelle, E., Bjørnsen Haavaag, S., Portillo, M.C . (2022), Understanding support systems for Parkinson's disease management in community settings: A cross-national qualitative study. HealthExpectations, https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13691 . Soilemezi, D. , Roberts, H., Navarta-Sánchez, M.V. Kunkel, K., Ewings,S., Reidy, C., Portillo, M.C. (2022). Managing Parkinson’s during the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives from people living with Parkinson’s and health professionals. Journal of Clinical Nursing , DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16367. *Nielsen, T. , Kruse, N., Haahr, A., Hjelle, E.G., Bragstad, L.K., Palmar-Santos, A., Navarta-Sánchez, M.V., Pedraz-Marcos, A., Bartolomeu Pires, S., Roberts, H., Portillo, M.C . (2022). Exploring health and social services in Denmark, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom for the development of Parkinson's care pathways. A document analysis. Health and Social Care in the Community, doi:10.1111/hsc.13970. Vester, L.B. , Haahr, A., Nielsen, T.L., Bartolomeu, S., Portillo, M.C. (2023), A Parkinson care-coordinator may make a difference: A scoping review on multi-sectoral integrated care initiatives for people living with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers. Patient Education and Counselling, doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107931. Hjele, E.G. , Rønn-Smidt, H., Haahr, A., Haavaag, S., Sørensen, D., Navarta-Sánchez, V. Portillo, M.C., Bragstad, L.K. (2024). Filling the gap in service provision Partners as family carers to persons with Parkinson’s disease: A Scandinavian perspective. Chronic Illness, DOI:10.1177/17423953231174470. Navarta-Sánchez, M.V. , Palmar-Santos, A., Pedraz-Marcos, A., Reidy, R., Soilemezi, D., Haahr, A., Sørensen, D., Rønn Smidt, H., Kildal Bragstad, L., Gabrielsen Hjelle, E., Bjørnsen Haavaag, S., Portillo, M.C. (2023). Perspectives of people with Parkinson's disease and family carers about disease management in community settings: a cross-country qualitative study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16636 . Pedraz-Marcos A, Palmar-Santos AM, Portillo MC, Navarta-Sánchez MV. Management of Parkinson's in the Community: Interests and Expectations of People Living with Parkinson's, Family Carers, Healthcare Professionals and Stakeholders in Spain. Glob Qual Nurs Res. 2025 Nov 3;12:23333936251384434. Who did we work with? Coordinator/chief investigator of the project: United Kingdom : University of Southampton, Professor Mari Carmen Portillo Country leads : Spain: Autonomous University Madrid, Dr Victoria Navarta Sanchez Spain, Fundación La Princesa, Dr Lydia López Denmark: VIA University College, Dr Anita Haahr Norway: University of Oslo, Dr Line Kildal Partners: Parkinson’s disease associations in the four countries

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Growing research capacity Starting in October 2019, Professors Alison Richardson and Cathy Bowen devised a strategy to meet one of ARC Wessex primary goals –growing the number of skilled and experienced health and care researchers in Wessex. Cathy Bowen brought in Dr Kinda Ibrahim to help her lead the Academic Career Development team. Their vision was to work with partners to grow the research talents of health and care professionals and other professions. Over seven years, this collaboration has awarded 117 internships , 8 PhD fellowships and supported 29 post-doctoral researchers – reaching across the health and care sectors, professions and different backgrounds. “Every step in academic career development is a step toward shaping the future of healthcare. At NIHR ARC Wessex we introduced a programme of awards to ignite curiosity, nurture talent, and empower individuals to turn ideas into breakthroughs that transform lives. Thank you for collaborating with us—together, we have created lasting impact.” Professor Alison Richardson ARC Wessex Director “Through strategic investment in people and ideas, it has been a privilege to support the development of the next generation of health and care researchers, driving change that will define the future of care and improving patient outcomes across our region.” Professor Cathy Bowen Lead for Academic Career Development “Growing the internship programme has been one of the most rewarding parts of my role. I’ve seen how a small amount of funding can open doors, spark confidence, and completely change someone’s career trajectory. It’s not just about individual growth. Host organisations have integrated evidence-based approaches into everyday workflows, turning research insights into practical changes that improve care and efficiency. Watching those journeys unfold reminds me why investing in people is the most powerful way to drive change.” Dr Kinda Ibrahim, Deputy Lead for Academic Career Development With thanks to the Academic Career Development advisory group Dr Caroline Barker, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (2019-2022) Professor Ruth Bartlett, UNiversity of Southampton (2023-2026) Professor Carol Clark, Bournemouth University (2019-2026) Dr James Faulkner (University of Winchester & University of Southampton) (2019-2025) Professor Lee-Ann Fenge, Bournemouth University (2023-2026) Dr Leah Fullegar, Portsmouth Health Determinants Research Collaboration (2025-2026) Dr Genevieve Groom, Portsmouth City Council (2024) Anne-Marie Hankinson, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (2024-2026) Dr Rachel Harrison, University of Winchester (2024-2026) Professor Vanora Hundley, Bournemouth University (2019-2022) Dr David Kryl, formerly Wessex AHSN (2019-2024) Dr Mark Lown, University of Southampton (2021-2026) Karen Musk, University of Portsmouth (2019-2021) Dr Jenny Roddis, University of Portsmouth (2021-2026) Sandie Skinner, Health Education England - Wessex (2019-2020) Sarah Simon, Southampton Health Determinants Research Collaboration (2024-2026) Dr Sarah Williams, Director of Research and Improvement at Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust (2019-2026) Meet our interns, PhD, and Post-Docs Read more What is a clinical academic career #1 Play Video Forming your team #2 Play Video Finding a Mentor #3 Play Video What Makes a Good Application #4 Play Video Developing your training plans #5 Play Video Public and patient involvement #6 Play Video The Interview #7 Play Video Intellectual Property and Enterprise #8 Play Video A guide to starting out in clinical academic research Watch Now Share Whole Channel This Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Share Channel Info Close

d1fc46a9-cf57-4dda-98fb-a4ccb44fa87b FORTH – FORecasting Turbulence in Hospitals Chief Investigator: Edilson Arruda, Associate Professor, University of Southampton Team: Christine Currie University of Southampton Alexandra Hogan NHS Salisbury/ University of Southampton Jamie MacNamara University Hospital Southampton Mark Wright University Hospital Southampton Michael Boniface University of Southampton Carlos Lamas-Fernandez University of Southampton Partners: Salisbury Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University of Southapton, University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Start: 1 October 2024 End: 31 March 2026 Summary Over time, health systems face changes. Population grows older or hospitals can perform new treatments. It is difficult to match the resources of hospitals with population needs. If they do not match, waiting times for treatment increase and hospitals become fuller. Hospitals being too full can result in worse care for patients. For example, hospitals might need to cancel surgeries. Aim(s) of the research When the usual demand for hospital resources changes, it becomes difficult for hospitals to provide care. We call this turbulence. Our first objective is to define how turbulence can be measured from data. Then, we will use artificial intelligence to understand the causes of turbulence. We will also create models for short-term prediction of turbulence. This will help hospital plan better. Design and methods used This project will look at the records of patients in hospitals to understand what resources they use. The data will give us an understanding of how long certain activities take. For example, the recovery from surgery. We will predict when these times are changing using artificial intelligence. This can help hospitals be alert of upcoming changes, so they choose the best way to react. Patient, public and community involvement (PPCI) We will engage with the views of public, patients and communities during the project execution phase. We will hold workshops with patient groups that have been to hospital. We will understand their views on the planning services. We will also take into account their ideas when defining turbulence. Dissemination This project was co-designed and will be supported by University Hospital Southampton (UHS) and Salisbury Hospital. The results will be disseminated and championed within the partnering institutions, and further presented in workshops involving neighbouring NHS Trusts in Wessex and in the south east and south west of England. We will also publish papers and reports to disseminate the work to a larger audience within the UK and internationally.